NLM Musings from the Mezzanine
Innovations in Health Information from the National Library of Medicine
The ”Jerry Jar” crept into our lingo as a shorthand way of letting me say, “Here’s something important to handle—I am not quite sure what to do with it and I believe that it needs your expertise.” As we planned for his departure, I sought his advice about what to do with the “Jerry Jar” that had become so invaluable to our operations. “Smash it,” he said!
On February 7, I had the honor of attending and speaking at a Celebration of Dr. Roger I. Glass in the Ruth Kirschstein Auditorium on the main NIH campus to pay tribute to my dear colleague, Dr. Roger Glass. Read more about how his work at the NIH Fogarty International Center advanced global health research.
NIH’s Andrea Norris is an outstanding example of a visionary and leader in health information technology. She possesses deep technical knowledge, experience, creativity, and thoughtfulness. I had the good fortune to work closely with Andrea and considered her to be one of my closest colleagues here at NIH. In celebration of her more than 30 … Continue reading Dr. Andrea Norris to Retire, Leaving Legacy of Successful Innovation
This blog post is based on remarks given at the May 17 Milton Corn Memorial Concert. Yesterday, I was honored to join in a beautiful celebration for the life of Dr. Milton Corn, an amazing man who I regarded as my adviser, colleague, and—most importantly—my friend. I would like to thank his wife Gilan and … Continue reading Please Join Us in Honoring Milton Corn, MD
Women in history — and women making history — featured in this post.From left to right in the top row: Mary Lasker, Elizabeth Blackwell, Hope Hopps, Florence Sabin, Margaret Pittman, Patricia Palma, and Selma DeBakey. Middle row: Faye Abdellah, Deirdre Cooper Owens, Rosalind Franklin, Inez Holmes, Alice Evans, and Lois DeBakey. Bottom row: Maxine Singer, … Continue reading Recognizing Women in History All Year Round
I am very pleased and proud of the hard work, dedication, and accomplishments of the 1,700 NLM staff members who have gone above and beyond in 2021 by demonstrating their commitment to advancing our critical mission. Every day, NLM staff transform information into knowledge, which enables researchers, clinicians, and the public to use biomedical data … Continue reading NLM Staff: Supporting Biomedical Discovery and Advancing Public Health
One of NLM’s greatest assets is its talented, creative workforce. Last year, NIH called on its 27 Institutes and Centers to step up to mount an effective response to COVID-19. Supported by Congress, NIH invested more than $2 billion to ensure rapid access to COVID-19 testing for everyone in the United States — funding research … Continue reading Turning Talent into Treasure
Last week Francis Collins, MD, PhD, announced his plans to step down as the Director of the National Institutes of Health after serving in this position for 12 years. Francis is a force of nature — a tall man with a gigantic vision of how science can serve and improve society. I could recount for … Continue reading Every End has a New Beginning
Perhaps the most famous NIH staffer right now is Anthony Fauci, MD, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and one of the leading voices throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Prepared by more than 50 years of government service and research on infectious diseases, Dr. Fauci is a public servant who brings … Continue reading Thanks, Dr. Fauci!
This month, NLM joins the Nation in celebrating Black History Month. Libraries play an important role in ensuring equity of access to information. From my career as a nurse, I know that libraries are important vehicles for delivering trusted information. To celebrate my dual allegiances to nursing and libraries, in this post, I am tuning … Continue reading Nursing and Libraries – Powerful Forces in Motion